The broadcaster and author Clare Balding chooses her favourite books. Her first novel for adults, "Pastures New" is out this week, and she will be at a series of events and signings at bookshops nationwide.
Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse
Anna Sewell, 1877
This is one that really affected me when I read it as a child. It delves into how humans treat animals – both kindly and cruelly – and really makes you think about our actions. As a child, I felt a unique bond with dogs and horses, often chatting with them as if we were having a two-way conversation. Honestly, I still believe dogs understand more than we realise.
After You’d Gone
Maggie O’Farrell, 2000
I struggled to get through this one because I was in tears the whole time. Maggie’s portrayal of grief is so incredibly authentic. I still get emotional just thinking about that moment when you wear a loved one’s shirt because it carries their scent, and the fear of that scent fading away.
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A Woman of Substance
Barbara Taylor Bradford, 1979
I picked up this saga about a Yorkshire maid who founds a business empire as a teenager, and it really ignited my inner feminist. It inspired me to strive for financial independence and showed me that ambition is not a dirty word for women. It’s a message I still carry with me today.
How To Be a Woman
Caitlin Moran, 2011
Caitlin has a knack for making me laugh while tackling serious topics. I really wish I had discovered this gem in my teenage years, but honestly, it’s still just as relevant in my 50s.
Barnaby Rudge
Charles Dickens, 1841
Love, social unrest, mob uprisings against the system, the lure of populism, and brilliant descriptions of poverty – this novel has it all. I have discovered Dickens late in life and this is one of my favourites.
Here One Moment
Liane Moriarty, 2024
I’m currently reading this and loving it. Liane has this wonderful talent for creating vivid characters with just a few strokes of her pen. Observant and funny, with some fantastic twists, it explores the idea that we’re all steering our own lives, even when it feels like things are out of our control.
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